Really this is week 5 but since last week didn't go as plan, I guess it's week 4 and I'm a week behind. The first couple of miles, I really didn't think I was going to be able to go the full 5 miles, I was tired and really couldn't find a comfortable pace. Finally once I hit the 5k mark, I realized I felt stronger and was able to settle into a comfortable 11:16 pace the final two miles. In fact, I felt so good, I decided to finish my run with 6 x 30 sec sprints and to my surprise ran then in 5-6 min pace but of course I could only keep that pace for 30 secs max.
It felt great to finally complete a "long" run again and strong for that matter. The weather was absolutely gorgeous 64° and sunny so a lot of folks out walking and running. It's too bad the weather is going to turn colder and get back down in the 40s by the end of this week. I was really loving the warmer weather. 50s and 60s make for some great running weather!
Today's Workout: 5 Miles or 60 mins (whichever is longer)
Weather: 64°F Sunny, Winds SSW at 5mph
Showing posts with label long run. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long run. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Half Marathon Training - Week 3, Day 1
I really was not looking forward to this run at all. I mapped out a 7 mile route in my neighborhood and off I went. I did my usual run 4 min, walk 1 min intervals as I always do with runs an hour or longer. It was a bit on the chilly side and clouded up quite a bit from this morning.
I felt great the first 45 mins and then things started to get a little more difficult. At 5.5 miles as I was going down the long steep hill, I started feeling blisters forming on the balls of my feet. It's also when I noticed my legs, hips and calves start to hurt as well. I was 1.5 miles from home so I had no choice but to keep going. Every step was becoming more and more painful but I just pushed through. My breathing was great, I wasn't out of breath or even felt tired, it was all physical pain. My body just wasn't doing what the mind wanted it to do.
I did my best to slow my pace down and focus on completing all the running intervals without having to walk once, even going uphill and I succeeded with that. I finished the course with "Heart Attack Hill", a long and steep hill that you climb up and yes, it's usually where my heart rate spikes which is why I gave it that nickname.
After the run, I walked until my heart rate was below 90 bpm then went inside and probably stretched for a good 20-30 mins. It felt good to finish my first 7 mile run.
Workout: 80 mins or 7 miles (whichever is longer)
Weather: 42° F, Mostly Cloudy, Winds 8 mph
I felt great the first 45 mins and then things started to get a little more difficult. At 5.5 miles as I was going down the long steep hill, I started feeling blisters forming on the balls of my feet. It's also when I noticed my legs, hips and calves start to hurt as well. I was 1.5 miles from home so I had no choice but to keep going. Every step was becoming more and more painful but I just pushed through. My breathing was great, I wasn't out of breath or even felt tired, it was all physical pain. My body just wasn't doing what the mind wanted it to do.
I did my best to slow my pace down and focus on completing all the running intervals without having to walk once, even going uphill and I succeeded with that. I finished the course with "Heart Attack Hill", a long and steep hill that you climb up and yes, it's usually where my heart rate spikes which is why I gave it that nickname.
After the run, I walked until my heart rate was below 90 bpm then went inside and probably stretched for a good 20-30 mins. It felt good to finish my first 7 mile run.
Workout: 80 mins or 7 miles (whichever is longer)
Weather: 42° F, Mostly Cloudy, Winds 8 mph
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Half Marathon Training - Week 2, Day 1
After Friday night's ice storm left the roads and sidewalks covered in snow, sleet and ice which made them impossible to run on, I had to reschedule my long run for today. For the most part, the roads were pretty much clear, dry in most places, wet in some and ice patches here and there but Wadsworth Trail (asphalt) was a different story. It still was covered completely in snow/ice/slush in areas where you couldn't even see the pavement. But I went on my run anyway.
The first mile and a half which was on Wadsworth Trail, was a bit tricky. I had to watch my step on the slushy snow and ice as well as jump over large puddles to avoid getting my feet too wet. Once I got onto the roads of Woodrigde, things became much easier since the road was pretty much clear. I did my usual run 4 min/walk 1 min intervals and at 70 mins, this would be my longest and furthest I've ever ran. I ended up going 6.21 miles...whoohoo...a 10K! Finishing under 70 mins is actually my goal finish time and I will keep it at that since race nerves and adrenaline actually make racing a lot harder than training runs.
Today's run felt great but the balls of my feet did start to hurt during the last 3 intervals so that concerns me as I will be increasing mileage for the half marathon. Other than that, I finished pretty strong. I pushed it the final 5 mins which was completely uphill and that took a lot out of me. I was quite surprised at my average pace given the wintry conditions and because I felt like I was running much slower than usual. Guess the hills on Thursday paid off.
Today's Workout: 70 min run (run 4/walk 1 intervals)
Weather: 40°F Sunny, Winds Calm
The first mile and a half which was on Wadsworth Trail, was a bit tricky. I had to watch my step on the slushy snow and ice as well as jump over large puddles to avoid getting my feet too wet. Once I got onto the roads of Woodrigde, things became much easier since the road was pretty much clear. I did my usual run 4 min/walk 1 min intervals and at 70 mins, this would be my longest and furthest I've ever ran. I ended up going 6.21 miles...whoohoo...a 10K! Finishing under 70 mins is actually my goal finish time and I will keep it at that since race nerves and adrenaline actually make racing a lot harder than training runs.
Today's run felt great but the balls of my feet did start to hurt during the last 3 intervals so that concerns me as I will be increasing mileage for the half marathon. Other than that, I finished pretty strong. I pushed it the final 5 mins which was completely uphill and that took a lot out of me. I was quite surprised at my average pace given the wintry conditions and because I felt like I was running much slower than usual. Guess the hills on Thursday paid off.
Today's Workout: 70 min run (run 4/walk 1 intervals)
Weather: 40°F Sunny, Winds Calm
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Half Marathon Training - Week 1, Day 1
I'm planning to run in the Greer Earth Day Half on April 25. It will be my very first half marathon. But on March 6, I will run the Reedy River 10K as a way to gauge my progress and make sure I really want to do the half... 13.1 miles still scares me at this point.
I'm somewhat following the 13-week training plan by iRUN Greenville but with my own modifications. For my long runs, I'm using a run 4 min, walk 1 min ratio and plan to use this same ratio for the half marathon itself. I'm doing my own tempo intervals and will be running hilly routes instead of speed or track work since there really isn't a running track near where I live. I may throw in an occasional trail run for fun once the trails dry out...it's been a wet winter.
I met iRUN Greer at Greer Memorial Campus and no surprise that I was the only one that is currently using this method so I was on my own this morning. Maybe more people will show up next week but anyone in the Greer/Spartanburg area is welcome to join us...and it's free. There is a walk-to-run group already in progress (they did week 3, day 3 today) and a few others training for the half that are up to 7-8 miles, so there is something for everyone.
But back to my training run which was for 1 hour using the 4/1 run to walk ratio. The first 4 intervals or 20 mins felt great. I never had any difficult breathing with my 10:00 - 10:30 pace or had any pain in my legs, hips or ankles as I sometimes do. Then all of a sudden, it started getting really hard and the 4 min interval started to feel longer and longer and the 1 min walk break felt shorter and shorter. Around 50 mins, my hip flexors started to hurt but I only had 10 more mins to go so I just pushed forward. Beth, the coach of iRUN Greer, joined me at that point and she pushed the pace a little faster which is never a bad thing. The last 30 secs of the last interval was uphill so I decided to give it a final push up the hill knowing the end was near. It actually felt better in my hips and legs, probably because running uphill forces me to use proper form but my breathing was quickly becoming out of control. Overall, it was a pretty good run, still a bit too cold for me with temps in the high 30s and a light breeze. I'm so ready for spring and warmer temps...but not the humidity.
I'm somewhat following the 13-week training plan by iRUN Greenville but with my own modifications. For my long runs, I'm using a run 4 min, walk 1 min ratio and plan to use this same ratio for the half marathon itself. I'm doing my own tempo intervals and will be running hilly routes instead of speed or track work since there really isn't a running track near where I live. I may throw in an occasional trail run for fun once the trails dry out...it's been a wet winter.
I met iRUN Greer at Greer Memorial Campus and no surprise that I was the only one that is currently using this method so I was on my own this morning. Maybe more people will show up next week but anyone in the Greer/Spartanburg area is welcome to join us...and it's free. There is a walk-to-run group already in progress (they did week 3, day 3 today) and a few others training for the half that are up to 7-8 miles, so there is something for everyone.
But back to my training run which was for 1 hour using the 4/1 run to walk ratio. The first 4 intervals or 20 mins felt great. I never had any difficult breathing with my 10:00 - 10:30 pace or had any pain in my legs, hips or ankles as I sometimes do. Then all of a sudden, it started getting really hard and the 4 min interval started to feel longer and longer and the 1 min walk break felt shorter and shorter. Around 50 mins, my hip flexors started to hurt but I only had 10 more mins to go so I just pushed forward. Beth, the coach of iRUN Greer, joined me at that point and she pushed the pace a little faster which is never a bad thing. The last 30 secs of the last interval was uphill so I decided to give it a final push up the hill knowing the end was near. It actually felt better in my hips and legs, probably because running uphill forces me to use proper form but my breathing was quickly becoming out of control. Overall, it was a pretty good run, still a bit too cold for me with temps in the high 30s and a light breeze. I'm so ready for spring and warmer temps...but not the humidity.
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